


When words fail you

by Pandastuff101



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Mute Castiel, Muteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 01:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10629546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandastuff101/pseuds/Pandastuff101





	

The doctors said Castiel Novak was selectively mute. Cas knew they were right: he could feel the words at the back of his throat, ready to spring past his lips at any moment. He just chose to swallow them back.

After what had happened, Castiel would be just fine never speaking again. There was no point to speaking, anyways.

After all, words had failed him when his uncle Raphael had put a firm hand on his mouth to stop Cas from yelling. Screams had failed him when Cas bit his uncle's hand, causing Raphael to slap him.

Noises, words, screams, tears. They were all meaningless if there was no one there to hear you.

It was luck that had saved Cas, luck that brought his mother knocking to Raphael's door when Cas didn't come home from school on time. Luck that Cas had managed to break free and run down the stairs to his mother, and pure miracle that Raphael hadn't done a thing while the police forced his arms behind his back and dragged him away.

Cas didn't speak as his mother shook his small shoulders, begging him to tell her what had happened. He couldn't tell her if he was okay, because he was _not_  okay but it was much more than that. There were no words to describe how he felt, only memories and colors and sounds and sounds and smells and feelings.

Words are limited.

The doctors assured his parents that Cas would speak when he was ready. 

"Trauma at such a young age changes people. This will be with your son his whole life, it's not something Castiel will be able to just forget. You have to support him. Similar instances have been known to give children depression, social anxiety," the doctor shook his head solemnly, "we can only guess how it will affect him."

Cas hadn't spoken for twelve years. Not since that day. His siblings seemed to understand, and never pushed him. Neither did his father. It was hardest on his mother, who did try to plead and bargain with him some days.

Cas hated disappointing her.

His only friend at school was a redhead named Celeste Middleton, though for some reason everyone called her Charlie Bradbury.

She was his opposite: full of words, practically bursting with happiness and hope that he just didn't have.

Still, she was his best friend.

"Heya Cassy. What are you up to?" Charlie said brightly, sitting next to Cas at his lunch table.

It wasn't empty; there were a few student crunched on the other side of the table, as though they were trying to stay far away from Cas.

He hid it well, but that hurt a little.

Cas grinned back at Charlie, and took out his notebook. He never really bothered to learn ASL, and his teachers and parents gave up on him after a few years. 

 _I am doing well. How are you, Charlie?_ Cas wrote, his handwriting slanted and neat.

Charlie slid the paper away from him, and read it quickly. She handed it back to him, the smile still bright on her face.

"Great." she gave a long, content sigh, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. 

Cas gave a hoarse laugh, one it seemed only Charlie could draw from him, at the dreamy expression on her face.

"There's a new girl in my class named Dorothy, like from the Wizard Of Oz? Total badass. And she's got a great a-"

Charlie was cut off when someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned, blushing. 

"Ah, Principal Gavin. How can I help you?" she asked sweetly, her whole demeanor changing in mere seconds. 

The principal paused as though wondering if he should call Charlie out on her profanity, but with a sigh he ignored it.

"Mrs. Middleton, may I see you in my office please?"

Charlie turned back to Cas, her eyes wide with panic. He shrugged, equally confused. Charlie whipped back to face Principal Gavin, voice thick with panic.

"Please, sir, if this is about those grades that were changed, it wasn't me. I can give you a list of names, I can help! But it wasn't me, I swear!" she said hurriedly.

Cas rolled his eyes.

"No, Celeste-"

"Charlie."

"Very well. You're not in trouble, I just have a new student I would like you too show around."

Charlie's shoulders sagged in relief, and Cas grinned at how dramatic his friend was being.

"Can Cas come, sir?"

The principal glanced at Cas briefly, and he sat up straighter in his seat.

"Sure, why not. Follow me, you two."

They did, down the hall and to his office. Inside was a boy with dirty blond hair, and green eyes.

Words failed Cas describing those green eyes.

 _Sweet peas, freshly shelled and ready to be eaten. Grass growing on a hill. Shamrocks, maybe._  Cas mused, _No. None of those things._

He looked over at Charlie, who was busy chatting up the principal. When he turned back to the boy, he found that the green eyes were trained on him. He gave an awkward wave, and ducked his head.

The boy refused to be ignored, however.

"I'm Dean." he told Cas, who earnestly looked to Charlie for help.

She broke her conversation with Principal Gavin to come to her friends aid.

"Hi, Dean." she said cheerfully, "I'm Charlie Bradbury, and this is Castiel Novak. What does your schedule look like?"

Dean recited his schedule, and Charlie all but took notes as concentrated as she was. When he was finished, she smiled.

"Same as mine, and Cas', too."

Dean smiled broadly, and glanced at Cas.

"Cool."

Cas blushed furiously,and almost automatically took a step towards Charlie. She pushed him away, out of Dean and Gavin's views. He sat in the hair next to Dean because he was sure it was the only way to make it look like his knees weren't knocking together.

The stare Cas held with Charlie was wide-eyed and frightened, like a wounded animal. She immediately recognized as their cue to go.

She clapped her hands, and rubbed them together.

"Well, if that's all, sir, may we three go to our next class?" Charlie asked, putting on the same accent she used when addressing her high court at geek club. 

Principal Gavin nodded, and waved a hand to the door. They left, Charlie excitedly blabbing to Dean about everything and anything, from the school's recent gossip to where they sat at lunch and what desks to avoid because of the gum infestation. Dean smiled good naturedly throughout all of it, laughing and putting in his own two cents every now and then.

Cas followed close behind them, hands in his pockets and head down. They hallway was empty but for them, and through the cracked open classroom doors they could occasionally hear the voices of teachers or murmurs of students wafting out.

They took the empty seats in the back row, which luckily happened to be right next to each other. Cas sat in the middle of Charlie and Dean.

Since they arrived in the middle of class, Cas hurried to jot down all the notes the teacher had written on the board. When he gave them a small, sideways glance, it appeared Charlie and Dean were doing the same. He was surprised when Dean tapped his arm lightly, making Cas jump. Dean held out a small piece of notebook paper for Cas to take. Frowning, Cas took the paper and unfolded it. He hid it beneath his desk, and read it quickly.

 _Hi,_ it said simply.

Cas looked back up at Dean,  his head cocked in confusion. Dean grinned.

 _Hello?_  Cas wrote uncertainty.

 _What do people do around here for fun?_  Dean wrote in reply.

Cas looked up warily, making sure the teacher wasn't watching. He took the paper back from Dean.

_On Sundays there's always an outdoor screening of something at the Kingsley farm. Charlie and I are going this week. Want 2 come?_

Before Dean could write a reply, the paper was snatched from his hands. Heat colored both of their faces as the teacher shot them both dirty looks and took the paper away. Still, Dean caught Cas' eye and nodded. Cas grinned.

It was hard to think of anything else but Sunday throughout the rest of the week. Cas didn't understand the excitement building in his stomach, and it only grew every time he looked at Dean. 

Charlie invited him over to her house before the movie, and they rushed to her room to get ready. Not that there was much to get ready _for._   Still, they stuffed a duffel bag full of blankets, snacks, flashlights, and, in one of the side pockets, money they had saved from various chores over the last month.

When that was finished, Charlie and Cas sprawled across the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"So, do you like him?" Charlie asked casually, breaking the comfortable silence.

Cas looked quickly over to her, confusion and shock playing across his face. 

Charlie sighed, "Dean. You like him, right? I see the way you look at him."

He blushed, covering Charlie's face with a pillow to silence her. She laughed, and pushed it off.

"It's fine, Cas! I totally ship it, too. Also, I think he likes you." Charlie confined, taking Cas' hand.

Surprise and glee filled Cas' blue eyes, and he cocked his head, eager to hear more.  His friend grinned, eager to gossip. She sat up, putting a pillow in her lap and wrapping her arms around it.

"Yeah! He looks at you all the time, holds classroom doors open for you. Dean texts you just to say goodnight, right?"

Cas nodded.

"See! Head over heels."

Cas reached across the bed and Charlie for his notebook, which rested on the nightstand.

 _You think so? What should I do?_  he wrote, handing it to Charlie.

She bit her lip, thinking hard.

"I...I don't know. I've never dated anyone, remember?"

Cas nodded, shoulders slumped. They were quiet for a moment, before a wicked grin slowly formed on Charlie's face. She looked to Cas who, despite himself, grinned back.

"I may have an idea..."

Twenty minutes later, they climbed into the back seat of Mrs.Middleton's mini-van. They stopped at Dean's house on the way. Cas and Charlie walked up to his door to fetch him, Charlie whispering the plan over and over in Cas' ear to reassure him. They knocked on the door, and, only a minute later, a kind looking woman opened the door. She had blonde hair, like Dean's but lighter, and freckles. It was pretty obvious, to say the least, that this was Mary, Dean's mother.

She held open the door for them, and they stepped inside.

"I'm Mary. It's nice to finally meet you two! Dean doesn't stop talking about either of you." she said, smiling warmly.

Dean came down from the stairs, taking them two at a time. He was wearing old, soft looking jeans, and a Nirvana band t-shirt.

He stopped when he saw Cas, blinking as a smile overtook his face.

"H-Hey, guys. You look nice, Cas." he stuttered.

Cas grinned, and Charlie nudged him lightly. On Charlie's suggestion, he had traded in his usual too-big trench coat and dress shirt for a pair of Jeans and a nice, plain blue shirt. Charlie had determinedly ruffled up his hair, which Cas thought made him look like he just rolled out of bed. Charlie just shrugged when he told her this.

"Sex hair, Cas. You rock it."

Dean thought apparently thought so, too, because he blushed and smiled at the floor. Mary bit her lip, and looked like she was trying hard not to laugh.

"Uh, yes. What time do you think you'll be back?"

Charlie beamed at her, "Probably around ten or eleven."

Mary nodded.

"I'll leave the door unlocked, Dean. Make sure you're quiet, though, because it's past Sammy's bed time."

"Sure. See you later, mom." 

Dean allowed Mary to hug him and kiss his forehead before he waved goodbye and followed Cas out the door.

"What are we seeing again?" he asked once they were seated in the car.

Charlie's mother looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"It's called _The Purge._ Ever heard of it?"

Dean grinned, "I love that movie. Sammy hates it because he gets scared so easily, though."

Charlie shot a paranoid look to Dean, who gave her a confused one in return. Cas' eyes went wide, and he stared accusingly at Charlie. She smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Cassy. It's really, really good. I promise! It's actually so stupid that it's more of a comedy than...horror."

Charlie shrunk in her seat, withered by Cas unrelenting gaze. He rolled his eyes, and tapped her wrist.

He pointed to Charlie, then himself, and then his stomach. She laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll pay for your food."

They arrived at the drive in not much later. Mrs. Middleton paid for their tickets, and told them to text her when the movie was almost finished. They promised they would, and took off to find a good spot. 

Most of the drive in was dominated by cars, but closer to the screen people were setting up lawn chairs and blankets. They chose the perfect spot: a few hundred yards from the screen, not to crowded, and with soft grass and not dirt. Charlie laid down the blankets they had brought, and plumped up the pillows. She was the designated spot maker, because she knew how to turn a rock into a king's bed.  Dean watched in awe as she did just that, and Cas nodded his approval. Cas took the money and ran to the snack booth, buying five popcorns, three sodas, and at least a dozen different candy bars. He would repeat the process during intermission.

In all, it took them less than fifteen minutes to get ready for the movie. Dean was still a little shocked by the whole process, and so Charlie tried to explain.

"We come here at least once a month. There's a whole system in place."

The first ads of the movie began to play on screen, and Charlie, Cas, and Dean, respectively, flopped down on Charlie's handiwork. 

Cas was the only one in their group who had never seen _The Purge_ before, so he couldn't quite understand why Charlie and Dean were laughing while he hid behind the blankets.He was quite revolted by the whole movie, in fact. The idea that a society might find it reasonable to make a law that encourages the killing of minorities.....he was disgusted. 

The whole thing was worth it, however, when the purgers burst into the home through the window. Cas jumped, and he was not alone. The whole audience was going crazy, except for his friends who were laughing their heads off. While Cas shook with adrenaline and fear, Dean put his arm around his back. Immediately, Cas stilled. He looked up to see Dean watching him warily, as though he was wondering if he was crossing the line and he should pull back. He almost started to when Cas leaned into his chest, and closed his eyes. Dean was warm, and smelled like aftershave and pine and fresh air and Cas just wanted to sink into him. He could tell by the way that Dean's arms tightened around him that Dean was thinking around the same thing. 

Cas opened his eyes to see Charlie grinning at them. He gave her a small, secret, smile back. The word _Intermission_  flashed on screen, and around them moviegoers stirred to life. 

"I'll go get the refills." Charlie piped up as soon as she saw Cas beginning to move.

He raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"Yeah, I'll be right back."

Charlie took their trash with her, leaving Cas and Dean alone. They didn't bother to move from their (rather comfortable) position. Dean played with Castiel's hair, running his hands through it gently and no doubt messing it up even more than Charlie did. Cas didn't mind a bit.

"So, er," Dean started, and coughed awkwardly, "I like you a lot."

Cas nodded against Dean's chest, turning his head and rubbing his cheek against the soft material if Dean's shirt.

"Do you want to go out with me?" 

Cas looked up, smirking wickedly. He pointed to the movie screen and gestured around them. Dean rolled his eyes jokingly.

"I mean like a _real_  date. With me. I love Charlie, but like alone."

Cas beamed, and nodded. Dean grinned back, and pulled Cas to his chest again. 

That's how Charlie found them, cuddling on the mess of blankets and pillows and grinning like two crazy hairless apes. 


End file.
